pro bono

[proh boh-noh] / ˌproʊ ˈboʊ noʊ /

ADJECTIVE

without compensation

Synonyms

WEAK

done for free done without compensation for the public good

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gil found a Santa Fe firm and got legal help pro bono.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Hill claimed to be working pro bono, although the center’s IRS filings revealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees, and on one occasion he invented a phone conversation with me that never happened.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026

As a pro bono lawyer, Mazari has worked on some of the most sensitive cases in Pakistan, including the enforced disappearances of ethnic Balochs, as well as defending the community's top activist, Mahrang Baloch.

From Barron's • Jan. 25, 2026

Chen agrees to help only on a pro bono basis—lest he himself draw unwanted attention: “You cannot be too careful nowadays,” a friendly citizen warns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Martha Cook, the attorney who handled our termination case pro bono, is now a family court judge in Tampa.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter